Plugging along

I rested, I rallied, and in the afternoon and evening I got back on that horse again. Managed to push through the pain to get a final total of 5 minutes bike time and about 3 minutes walking time. I also tried to work with my resistance bands, but at this point they seem a little too intense, so we will put them aside for now. 8 minutes total for the day - yay me ! Best thing about it was that after the pain stopped I felt more stable and mobile, so it is indeed time to do this. More today.

I was really happy to discover I had planned something comfort food wise for dinner ! When I was little , my mom would make something we called Scalloped Potatoes from scratch. You take peeled potatoes, flour, salt , pepper, butter and milk, layer and cover with milk to bake. It made a Bechamel sort of sauce, and it was always creamy and comforting. Through the years I stopped making it because it was too starchy. White potatoes + white flour make for a not so good thing. A while back I stumbled across a recipe for this sort of dish but made infinitely better. It seems that if you combine a starch like potatoes with a higher level of fat and protein, it will not provoke the insulin response that a starch alone will. I think potatoes get an unfair bad rap these days. They have long been a nourishing staple of many cultures for the energy and satiation level they provide. If prepared properly, potatoes are a good thing. And this dis was indeed a good thing- very satisfying, nourishing and pleasing to the pallete !

 Cheddar Cheese Scalloped Potatoes

  2 1/2 cups  heavy cream
     3/4 cup  finely chopped shallots or onions
  2 teaspoons  chopped fresh rosemary (or 1 teaspoon dried)
  2 teaspoons  sea salt
     3/4 teaspoon  ground black pepper
  4 russet potatoes peeled, cut into 1/4-inch-thick rounds
  2cups  grated sharp  cheddar cheese (about 8 ounces)

Preheat oven to 375°F. Butter 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish. Whisk cream, shallots or onions, rosemary, salt and pepper in medium bowl to blend. Place half of potatoes in prepared baking dish, overlapping slightly. Sprinkle with 3/4 cup cheese. Top with second layer of potatoes. Pour cream mixture over potatoes in dish. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Cover gratin with foil and bake 1 hour. Uncover and bake until top is golden brown and potatoes are tender, about 45 minutes longer. Let gratin cool 10 minutes before serving.

I wound up serving it with some Parmesan crusted pork chops and red cabbage- made for a yummy winter evening meal !